I met Chris Hervey about five years ago in Wing Stop at a Bible Study. Since I have known him he has demonstrated a quality of humility and strength in his family life, his conduct in his local church, and the local activism he does in the city of Conway. Please take an opportunity to hear the heart of a man powerfully influenced by the transformative work of God.

What does it mean to be a Husband? Being a husband means shouldering a God given responsibility, which is a challenge, as well as, a joy. It is a challenge from the standpoint of mirroring a perfect God and His love for the church. My awesome responsibility is to love my wife as Christ loves the church and this puts me in the position of being the priest of our home. This charges me to lead my wife spiritually, in addition, providing stability and security. As a husband this means I should care for her and guide her sacrificially. Being a husband is a joy because God has entrusted me with a precious gift and He helps me carry out this responsibility. I am nowhere near a perfect husband or very very very good husband, but I will continue to strive to follow God’s blueprint.What does it mean to be a Father?Being a father means being a provider, being a guide or one who instills structure/discipline, and I have learned it means being a friend as well. My experience as a father is one of humility and joy. My experience is humbling because I became a father at the age of 20, while attending school and I had no idea of what being a father entailed. Although I had a great model in my Dad, there are many things I wish I had done, as well as, many things I wish I had not done. Fatherhood has shown me my imperfections. However, it is a joy to see the beautiful, independent, and responsible person God is shaping our child to be.

What is the example you are seeking to set for your children? The most important example I seek to set for our child is that of a personal relationship with Christ. If our child understands and pursues Christ, my purpose or responsibility has been complete.What contributions are you making to your community or city? My contribution to my community as well as my city has mainly been through the organization; NAACP. Through my service in this organization, I have sought to help the underprivileged and oftentimes the overlooked by taking action on their behalf when they have felt they were mistreated. But I have also set out to do what Dr. King and many others fought for, which is to bridge the gap between our ethnicities, our businesses, our schools, and the community at large. My hope is that our city will see there is “Unity in Diversity.”

What do you desire as a legacy? My desire for a legacy is to have those to remember me as an individual who loves God, and though imperfect, strives to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. In addition, I hope to leave a legacy of being a person who cared about his family, church family, and community and one who challenged others to see situations through a lens other than their own.What is your hope for African American Men? My hope for African American men is that they will yield to their first love, who is Christ. And upon yielding, I pray we take our rightful place in the home, in the church, and in our community. In closing, let me emphasize I am in no way a perfect model, but hope to do what I have been called to do without messing it up.